The best nasi lemak used to be from Shanmuga in Taman Berkeley in Klang. Served hot in a banana leaf and old newspaper wrapped packet, it goes very well with their crispy fried chicken and iced milk tea. With so many gangsters in town, I was surprised no epic fights broke out at the narrow open space car park jammed full of double parkers.

Not to spook some people who use the idiom regularly, it of biblical origin. This may surprise some sensitive Muslim friends who use it innocently and regularly. "Rise" means to get up and "shine" in its normal context meaning to "wake up. act lively and do well" at least, without digging deeper. I used to think it is a soldier's command. Rise and shine your boots. The internet kills the romantic notions.

Tanjung Piai (pronounced Pee-I) is a weird place. Geographically, it is seriously significant because it is the Southernmost tip of mainland or continental Asia. On the opposite and other extreme end is Cape Chelyuskin in Russia, just below the North Pole.Yet sadly, Tg Piai is virtually unknown to many Malaysians and Singaporeans. In reality the place is a dump. I went there in 2003 with Pooi San, with Emily Lowe in 2011 and with Sharon in 2014 on various roadtrips.

The proprietor and original baker of the 70-year-old and famous Salahuddin Baker in JB is a pious and stern looking man who sat behind rows of fresh curry puffs, and with the sublime light from outside illuminating him. I asked him if I can do an environmental portrait since the scene had so much character.

I presented the portrait to him on a later trip and he cracked a very rare smile. Sharon helped me print and frame the picture in advance. Earlier, we presented a framed print to an Indian lady tailor who inspired the idea.

My friend Cy Leow said the barber didn't look very happy in the earlier post. I think the poor barber was overwhelmed by the presence of cameras and continuous clicking sounds. I was holding an Olympus OM-D EM5 while Sharon Teo was armed with the smaller. lighter and newer OM-D EM-10.

We turned a haircut into an event and this candid summed up the moment succinctly.

Someone asked me today about my favourite local beach. Not for swimming or water activities. For sunset photography.
Sunsets are almost always fabulous from the seaside. KL is landlocked. So what do we do? We can travel to the nearest beach. Where can we go? Morib is on the west coast facing the Straits of Malacca and facing the setting sun.